Spring Election and Online Elections!
The Spring of 2010 is the first time that the SGA has utilized an online election system. This system will allow all undergraduate students to vote online through the CampusPulse system, https://umassamherst.collegiatelink.net/
If you are interested in running for the position of Area Government Officer, SGA Trustee or SGA President download the respective nomination forms below:
Nomination Packets for SGA President/SGA Trustee
Nomination Packets for Area Government officers
These nominations packets must be filled with 250 signatures to be nominated for President/Trustee and 100 signatures to be nominated as an Area Government Officer. Candidates are advised to have extra signatures in-case signatures are invalidated. Also all columns must be filled for it to be considered a valid signature. The completed nomination packets should be turned into the SGA Office (420 Student Union) by March 1st. The election is to be held on the March 9th through March 11th online. All questions can be directed towards electionscommission@stuaf.umass.edu. Further information can be found online at: http://blogs.umass.edu/ecsga/.
No candidate shall campaign until his nomination papers have been validated and the Election's Commision officially declares him or her as a candidate:
Definition of Campaigning
Campaigning shall be defined as any action by any person in support of a candidate for elected SGA office which shall include, but shall not be limited to, distribution of literature or posting of materials.
Definition of a Candidate
A candidate shall be defined as any person who shall have expressed a firm intention to qualify, or who has qualified, to have his/her name placed on the ballot for elected office in an SGA General or Special Election, or any person seeking election to such an office through a write-in campaign, here defined as a concerted effort to win election to such an office through write-in votes.
Additional information regarding elections can be found in Title VIII.
Additional Rulings / Interpretations
While the constitution answers certain questions regarding the campaigning process, there are several issues that are not covered. It is the responsibility of the Chancellor of Elections or Elections Commission to develop additional regulations, through interpretation of the Candidates Code of Conduct, to cover these issues.
Q: May a candidate campaign prior to taking out nominations papers and/or prior to having his/her nomination papers validated. (Updated 02/23/09)
A: Yes. For civil rights reasons, the Elections Commission cannot limit a candidate from campaigning before to the close of the nominations period. However, the Chancellor of Elections will not approve any campaign materials (websites, posters, flyers, chops, FaceBook groups, ect) nor authorize the use of any campaign funds prior to this time. This means any candidate who campaigns prior to the close of the nominations period will be limited solely to word-of-mouth campaigning. This extends to a candidate’s campaign workers.
Q: Can I send emails to my friends before the close of nominations telling them that I intend to run for a position? (Added 02/23/09)
A: This depends on the context of the email. If the email is being sent to a small number of people asking them to join your campaign, this is quite obviously legal. If the email is being sent to 50 people asking them to get ready to go out and vote for you, this is blatantly campaigning and is not legal. Good advice is to contact the Elections Commission before doing anything you are unsure of.
Q: What will the procedure be for adding additional campaign workers, can this be done through email and/or over the phone? (Added 02/23/09)
A: All additions to the Campaign Worker’s list must be done in writing via email toelectionscommission@stuaf.umass.edu. The subject of the email must be (Candidate Name) – Campaign Worker’s List Addition.
Q: If two candidates plan to run a campaign together, can the campaign workers for one candidate count for the other candidate as well as long as you are informed at the start of campaigning? (Added 02/23/09)
A: Yes. The Elections Commission will accommodate this request, so long as each time there is an addition it is submitted in writing that the addition is to go onto both lists.
Q: If a candidate has a Campaign Manager will they be able to submit additional campaigners on behalf the candidate? (Added 02/23/09)
A: Yes, a Campaign Manager can submit additions to the Campaign Worker’s List on behalf of a candidate so long as the candidate has notified the Chancellor of Elections who his/her Campaign Manager is in writing via an email toelectionscommission@stuaf.umass.edu.
Q: May a candidate use a website to promote his/her campaign? (Added 02/23/09)
A: Yes. The Elections Commission has traditionally allowed candidates to create and design their own websites. However, candidates are only allowed to use their university provided domain/hosting. For more information on setting up website using university proved domain/hosting please visit the Office of Information Technologies Website. NOTE: Websites are considered campaign material and as such must be registered with the Chancellor of Elections PRIOR to being used.
Q: May a candidate use Facebook to promote his/her campaign? (Added 02/23/09)
A: Yes. Since all candidates have reasonable access to Facebook, any and all features of the networking site are fair to use as campaign tools. NOTE: Facebook groups are considered campaign material and as such must be registered with the Chancellor of Elections PRIOR to being used.
Q: May a candidate use SGA resources during his/her campaign? (Added 02/18/09)
A: No. Under no circumstances should a candidate attempt to use any unauthorized SGA resources. This includes, but is not limited to, SGA office space, photo-copiers, ListServes, and FaceBook Groups.
Q: May a candidate use University ListServes that he/she has access to or that an endorsing on-campus organization has offered to utilize on his/her behalf? (Added 02/23/09)
A: No. Since University ListServes associated with on-campus organizations are the property of the University, but they are not a resource that all candidates have reasonable access too, they may not be used. Campaigns found to be using University ListServes run the risk of being disqualified.
Q: May a candidate accept endorsements from on-campus organizations? (Added 02/23/09)
A: Yes. Candidates may accept endorsements from on-campus organizations. However, these endorsements must be registered with the Chancellor of Elections as an addition to a candidate’s Campaign Workers List.
Q: Where does a candidate have to have his/her flyers, posters, chops, ect. produced? (Added 02/23/09)
A: While it is not specified in the Constitution, it has been the ruling of past commissions that candidates must spend their campaign funds at Campus Design & Copy. This Elections Commission has decided to uphold that ruling. All campaign funds will be transferred to accounts in each individual candidate’s name at the CDC and will be accessible only to the candidate whose name is on the account.
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